Earlier Classes May Cause More Teen Auto Accidents

By |

A new study suggests that early class times for high school kids may result in more car accidents. The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, compared weekday crash rates of 16- to 18-year-olds in two Virginia school districts. Crash rates were 41 percent higher in a district where classes began at 7:20 a.m., more than an hour earlier than the second district where classes began at 8:40 a.m.

Researchers say that later start times would allow teens to get an adequate amount of sleep thereby increasing alertness during their morning commutes. "We believe that high schools should take a close look at having later start times to align with circadian rhythms in teens and to allow for longer sleep times," study author Robert Vorona, MD, said. "Too many teens in this country obtain insufficient sleep.

Part Two: The Sympathetic Judge

By |

Just joining us? This is part two of a five part series. Start from the beginning. Juvenile Court Judge Juanita Stedman, who presides over Cobb County, Georgia’s Juvenile Drug Court has gotten to know Kyle quite well the past three years. Yes, he was one of the most dangerously addicted kids she’s seen.

Second-hand Store Benefits Victims of Sex Trafficking

By |

We all have closets full of old clothes that don’t fit and houses filled with dust-collecting knick-knacks.  Wellspring Living, through their upscale resale boutiques Wellspring Treasures, is turning those gently used items into help for victims of sexual abuse and trafficking. Wellspring Living has been offering therapy and education to sexual abuse victims for ten years.  Run almost entirely by volunteers, all proceeds from the three Wellspring Treasures stores benefit the women and girls involved with the programs.

“The women who come to the Wellspring Living house commit to 6 months or a year,” said volunteer Haley Welsh.  After leaving the house, the women live with a family who help them transition into their own place. All three Wellspring Treasures stores located in the metro Atlanta area accept donations six days a week.  

Op-Ed: Danielle Chapman Recaps Her Hard Fight Against OxyContin

By |

Kyle’s journey is a clear representation of the life of an addicted teen. The pressure to fit in and be a part of something in high school is overwhelming and a popular and growing method of escape is drug-use. Coming from a Cobb County high school where drugs were everywhere, I can relate completely to Kyle’s struggles because I was also an OxyContin addict. I dealt with the same battles, guilt and remorse that come with drug addiction. Once I had starting using, I was powerless.

Part One: Darkness Visible

By |

Just joining us? This is part one of a five part series. See the whole series. When Suzanne and John Boyer left their upper-middle class home for work on the morning of May 20, 2008, their 15-year-old son, Kyle, had a stomachache and was still in bed. It wasn’t too bad, he told them.

April 15, 2011

By |

Read up:

Bullying May Cause Long-term Social Anxiety, Study Finds:
http://bit.ly/dontBULLYmice

Celebrities Leverage Online Video to Combat Child Sex Trafficking:
http://bit.ly/realMENreadJJIE

Georgia's Failure to Enter Interstate Compact for Juveniles a "Serious Problem," Judge Says:
http://bit.ly/judge2gov

Host: Ryan Schill
Multimedia: Clay Duda

Gara LaMarche Says Time Is Right to End “Zero Tolerance” in Schools

By |

It is too early to know whether the current wave of school reforms will lead to lasting improvements in student achievement. But it is not too early to note that many of these reforms have a troubling consequence: a doubling-down on harsh, ineffective zero-tolerance discipline policies. All too often, the debate about school reform has wrongly emphasized pushing troubled children out of school, rather than making systemic improvements so that all students have the support they need to learn. For that reason, advocates nationwide are embracing efforts to improve school climate. School leaders are recognizing the ineffectiveness of zero tolerance.

Georgia’s Failure to Enter Interstate Compact for Juveniles a “Serious Problem,” Judge Says

By |

The final day of Georgia’s participation in the Interstate Compact for Juveniles is fast approaching and one Floyd County juvenile judge is not afraid to call this a “serious problem.”

Juvenile Judge Tim Pape spoke with the Rome News-Tribune recently about the impact on Georgia if there is no agreement for transferring children between the states. “If a child is on probation in Georgia and moves to Tennessee, there is no agreement with Tennessee to oversee probation,” Pape told the News-Tribune. Georgia has been operating under a previous compact for juveniles for years, but that agreement is set to expire June 30.  Georgia failed to pass legislation that would have allowed the state to operate under a new, updated compact. Without an agreement “the state would have no ability to enforce bringing kids to and from Georgia,” Judge Pape said. "Forty-six other states have adopted this compact.

Many Pimps Were Trafficked and Abused as Children, Survey Says

By |

A small study out of Chicago indicates that many pimps were forced into the sex industry and trafficked as children, leading to a horrible cycle of abuse.  Researchers at DePaul College of Law surveyed 25 pimps, finding that 68 percent were trafficked as children and 76 percent were sexually abused. According to the survey by researchers Brenda Myers-Powell and Jody Raphael, many pimps now traffic kids themselves and “earn” between $150,000 and $500,000 a year, often by taking all the income of some of their prostitutes. The authors admit the survey was imperfect, but you can read the full report here.